Moving from OR to MA... (Boston, Worcester: best towns, sales, apartments)

[ykceb2005]

First off, thank you in advance for the help you may bring to me.

I'm a single female living in Portland, OR and would like to move to MA. I have an idea of location but I'm not sure it's the best place. I have stayed in Haverhill and loved the area because it was very cozy and a lot like where I'm from, plus it's only a 30 minute or so drive to the city. I'm planning on getting a job prior to my move. I work in the finance industry, so I shouldn't have to many issues getting a position with a good company/school.

Can anyone tell me good area's in MA for a single female with a car, no children, keeps to herself, with reasonable rent? Also, I want to have easy access to my job wherever it maybe in MA. So using the public transportation will be just fine during the week days. Any and all information will be valued by me.

Thank you again

[maggiekate]

why not check out new Hampshire-depending on your job. that state does not have income, or sales tax.

[ogre]

Hi Ykceb. It would help people narrow the possibilities some if you could be specific about your housing budget, as rents and house prices vary from town to town. Also, if you could give as much of an idea as possible of the general location where you'd most likely be working, people would have a better idea of the most convenient places to live.

Keep in mind that traffic is kind of heavy on many roads in the Boston metro area, something you have to figure in when estimating travel times. For example, you described Haverhill as being 30 minutes from the city. I don't know exactly how long that drive takes during commuting hours, but I can be sure that it's substantially longer than 30 minutes.

The possibilities could be narrowed better with more details about housing budget, job location, and the kind of character you'd like in the neighborhood or town where you'd live, but I'll toss out some possibilities, going on the assumption that you'd be working in or near downtown Boston, and might like some shopping you could walk to in your neighborhood:

Arlington: sort of urban, sort of densely-packed suburban, nice, clean, and safe, with some local shopping. For public transit, you'd either drive a couple of miles to a large parking garage at the end of a subway line that goes straight into downtown Boston, or take the bus.

Cambridge: urban character, seems like part of the city, but neighborhoods with dense single-family housing, nice city overall, coffee shops, small dance clubs, professionals, and college students, a few small bohemian enclaves, subway and bus service.

South End or Jamaica Plain: classic central-city (South End is closer to downtown, though both have subway/light rail service) gentrified neighborhoods (artsy, gay, coffee shops, art galleries, refurbished old urban buildings).

Back Bay or Beacon Hill: Older long-established upscale city neighborhoods (bow-front old rowhouses and Victorian mansions, upscale shopping, neighborhood cafes and small eateries), close to downtown.

Newton or Brookline: suburban, but still close to the city, with moderate-density single-family houses, small neighborhood commercial districts with local stores and neighborhood restaurants, family-oriented but large enough towns to include a mix of young professionals, light rail (in both towns) and/or commuter trains (in Newton) straigt into the city.

Somerville: urban, small city, big old houses densely packed, mix of professionals and students, local shopping, subway.

Though rents vary within each neighborhood, generally, Jamaica Plain, South End, Back Bay, Beacon, Hill, Brookline, and maybe parts of Cambridge are the priciest areas of those I've listed. Keep in mind, though, that the Boston area has high housing costs. Arlington, Newton, and Somerville cost less on average than most of the other areas I've listed, but they're not really cheap. Really cheap is going to be hard to find unless you live well away from the city.

If you'd prefer something more suburban, let us know. These are at least a few ideas to get you started. Best of luck with your plans.

[brightdoglover]

I would heartily add my voice to the suggestion of Arlington, especially East Arlington (right by Cambridge). There are lots of single-person apartments, armies of single women of all ages, very very low crime, and if you have a car, the insurance rate for Arlington is very cheap (as opposed to Cambridge, J.P., etc.)
If you're driving to work, you can get right onto Rt. 2 quite easily. If you're downtown, there's a bus right on Mass Ave. There isn't a better location.
Good luck with your move!

[ykceb2005]

Thank you so much for all the information. Ogre I'm going to e-mail you directly when I get a chance to get some more information. I apologize about my posting, I was excited to get some information about the state and for suer was not descriptive enough about my move. I was in the office but wanted some answers ... Talk soon, Thank you again eveyone!

[holden125]

People have been suggesting areas in/near Boston, which is good if access to Boston is what you want. As Ogre says, if you had to work in Boston every day, Haverhill is not even close to a 30 minute drive into the city. Even without traffic it's more like 45. At rush hour I'd put it well over an hour, and then there's parking, which is very expensive. Even the train would take a long time. You have to get to it, wait a few minutes for it to come, then ride it, then get from North Station to wherever you're going.

I would definitely suggest living up there only if you're working up there unless you're OK with losing a lot of your day to commuting.

[VlyRoadKid]

Having lived near Haverhill, I must say you'll be STUNNED if you visit Western Mass (Amherst, Northampton), or even the North Shore (Gloucester)...now THOSE are actually quaint! If you do NOT need to work in Boston, your single status will work out much better in as small town such as Amherst, though rents are pretty high, even though they're much lower than the Boston area. One of my friends (a systems analyst for the State) commuted for years from a small hill town in the Berkshires, to Boston. Now he uses the Internet most days.

If you MUST work in Boston, towns like Newburyport (really REALLY quaint!) are only about 35-45 mins. from Boston...AND you've got the beach right there. Check these out & good luck!

[VlyRoadKid]

Originally Posted by ykceb2005

First off, thank you in advance for the help you may bring to me.

I'm a single female living in Portland, OR and would like to move to MA. I have an idea of location but I'm not sure it's the best place. I have stayed in Haverhill and loved the area because it was very cozy and a lot like where I'm from, plus it's only a 30 minute or so drive to the city. I'm planning on getting a job prior to my move. I work in the finance industry, so I shouldn't have to many issues getting a position with a good company/school.

Can anyone tell me good area's in MA for a single female with a car, no children, keeps to herself, with reasonable rent? Also, I want to have easy access to my job wherever it maybe in MA. So using the public transportation will be just fine during the week days. Any and all information will be valued by me.

Thank you again

If you thought Haverhill was quaint, you really should check out Amherst and Northampton in W. Mass! They're excellent places for singles and much prettier than that part of Mass (Haverhill and surrounding towns). Also, there are TONS of activities, cultural, nightlife and sports like cycling and skiing. The various colleges such as UMass make this a great place for younger people.

If you must work in Boston, try the North Shore, esp. Cape Ann. (Gloucester, Rockport) or Newburyport. Rents are higher, but it's only about a 35-45 minute drive to Boston and the ocean is right there! It can get rather dull in the winter, though.

Avoid Central Mass. (Worcester area) and the surrounding countryside, which is very insular, unfriendly and has nothing to do. Worcester itself is a pit!

Good luck!

[holden125]

Originally Posted by VlyRoadKid

If you MUST work in Boston, towns like Newburyport (really REALLY quaint!) are only about 35-45 mins. from Boston...AND you've got the beach right there. Check these out & good luck!

Newburyport is a great town, but if you work normal business hours in Boston it is not 35-45 mins. Even without traffic it's closer to an hour. At rush hour it's much worse than that. The trip takes over an hour on the train, plus getting to the station in Newburyport and from North Station to work. A nice place, but a bad commute to Boston.

If you can find work out in Western Mass. Amherst and Northampton are very nice places and they are much more affordable than Boston. There are also some nice towns around Springfield that are not that far from jobs in Hartford, Conn.

[meltinjohn]

Hey Portland girl, I am from MA but considering Portland to move. I lived away from MA for 4 yrs tho but I miss it and I would go back if my fam were not there, but its jsut funny how Portland is a place I find charming and you wanna come to MA lol.
Go to Billerica, hands down one of the best towns if you want a convenient enough drive to Boston with reasonable rents + T access. Its like an Oregon town IMO. Not tons of trees but its quaint enough. A little boring but the perfect suburb outside of Boston to move.